I know the summary isn't very catchy but thanks to all those who followed, faved, and reviewed.

Chapter 5

The car ride to the hospital was usually 30 minutes with light traffic but Nozomi breaks that record in half. She might have violated several traffic regulations, but hey—no harm, no foul, right?

Naoki didn't share much detail as he was on his way on foot, she felt bad that she couldn't be with him when he heard the grim news. Apparently, his younger brother has high fever.

She had a little problem finding any vacant space in the parking lot. Seriously, it was like a labyrinth. Does a lot of people get sick this time of year? She silently thanked her lucky stars for having a healthy body and was never sick enough to be admitted in a hospital.

She finally found a vacant space on the third floor. Nozomi didn't pay it much attention and just bolted for the elevator, her heels clicking whenever it hits the pavement. The elevator made a small chime, the faint smell of disinfectant lingers inside.

There was just something eerie about hospitals that she didn't like. Everything is just always white, bleak and clean. She asked around the nurse's station for 'Cotarou Yazawa' and was directed to the intensive care unit. She immediately found Naoki standing in front of the ICU ward with several grocery bags scattered at his feet. He stared listlessly on the covered glass door, his arms hung on his sides like deadweight. His hair was damp from sweat and sticking to his skin, probably from running all the way here from his workplace along with several shopping bags.

Running her fingers against his arm to get his attention, Nozomi offered him a small smile and a handkerchief. It broke her heart to see him like this; his usual grumpy and mocking expression was gone and was replaced by a fragile shell of a man.

She opened her mouth to say something but closed it, wracking her brain on how to approach this touchy subject. Cotarou's immune system has always been weak so, even a harmless common cold will strike Naoki with worry.

She settled to ask the usual. "How is he?"

The way he responded was almost mechanical. "It's pneumonia. The doctors prohibited any contact with him. They said it might make him worse."

Nozomi noticed a faint discoloration on his left cheek when he took the hanky and dabbed his face. It wasn't unusual for him to wear makeup but the patch of skin looks like a bruise that started healing up. She decided not to confront him for now and instead asked how his family is holding up.

"And the twins?"

"Mom wants to ask for a leave but can't so, she's pulling another all-nighter. She needs the job now more than ever and her employer was kind enough to let the girls stay over." Bits and pieces of his well crafted walls began to crumble. Naoki greatly cares for his family; he works day and night to help his mother raise his siblings. He puts his family above all else, it's one of his traits Nozomi loved about him.

His shoulders slumps, trembling a bit as he bit back a sob. "How are we going to afford all this?" It was barely audible but Nozomi heard him.

"I can help with the bills," She saved a bit of money, probably hitting six figures now. Nozomi won't hesitate to use it for emergencies.

"But that money is for your education, you've been saving that for a year now," Though it's true, she has a stable job now. Like Naoki, she used to work several different jobs up until six months ago. They both used to work at a bar with her being a disk jockey and Naoki as a bartender, that's how they met.

Naoki loathed her at first. He said she has this air of mystery about her yet she could read people easily. Nozomi's first impression of him was he was blunt and abrasive. It's funny how they had such a rough start and now they're inseparable.

Naoki turns out to be a very sensitive and gentle guy, rough around the edges but still a softie at heart. He wears a lot of pink, so that his sisters won't have boyish hand-me-downs. He's a great cook. He cleans up after everyone. If she could describe him in one word, he's hardworking.

Despite her hardships in life, Nozomi considers herself lucky and she doesn't mind sharing that luck with the people she cares about.

"It's okay, what are friends for?"

"We're not friends," She was taken aback by his words but melted on the inside when he looked her in the eyes with so much emotion and said "We're family."

Nozomi didn't care if he flails or throw a fit afterwards but she hugged him as tightly as physically possible for a long while.

Elliot swallowed thickly trying to settle what is left of his dinner in his stomach. Of all people she could have called she just had to call him.

"Are you alright?"

Piercing icy blue glared at serene honey-gold. He doesn't really hate Takumi but their friendship has been strained ever since Toujou came into their lives. He can't understand for the life of him on how someone as diligent as Takumi can ever approve someone as happy-go-lucky as her. Takumi was always been high strung. The one always chasing Haruki around school when the boy decided to play hookie. The one that coaxed Makoto out of the music room to have a proper meal during lunch breaks. And the one who helped Elliot around the student council room.

"Why in the world did she call you?" The distaste in his voice is practically dripping. Takumi's a perfectionist who always puts his soul into the task that was given to him and yet he seem to have this strange connection with Toujou. Takumi's always glued to her, and his eyes would search for hers across the room when they're apart. What is this, lovesickness?

Takumi simply shrugged, unaffected. "I have business to take care of not far from here. Nozomi-neesan knew my schedule and asked if I could take you with me."

She could be taught, Elliot was still a bit peeved. The dark haired lyricist is not the best driver around. In fact, he's the worse. Takumi passed his driver's license exam driving like a madman but Elliot failed his? Twice? Не пизди

"First name basis? I didn't know you two were close," Takumi had the decency to look away as a light tinge of pink dusted his cheeks. Elliot could feel his blood boiling. Just how much control does she has on him?

"How's Haruki?" He changed the subject before they stumble down the rabbit hole. Elliot tries hard not to argue with his bandmates, especially Takumi. They can go on word volley for a long period of time trying to make the other understand their point and in the end, Elliot will only feel resentment towards his friend.

Takumi sighed heavily. Haruki has been missing dance practice and wasn't there during the briefing of what will go down on the day of the auditions. Sure, he understands that his best friend wants to stay away from the media but he completely shut out everyone after what happened a few months ago.

"I haven't seen him in days." Takumi tried calling the Kousaka residence but it's either the phone ringing forever or Haruki's brother, Yuuki, would answer the phone. And he would say the same thing every time: "He's not here."

Being an only child, Takumi could never understand sibling rivalries but the way Yuuki's voice sound so cold and callous over the phone felt unnerving.

"Did you track his phone?"

"He gave his phone away, remember?" Elliot remembered the young woman Haruki brought to their studio, or what the leader fondly calls HQ. He didn't pay her much attention back then because he had far more important matters to do that day.

"Do you think he did that on purpose?" All four of them graduated from the same high school and though it was on the brink of shutting down years ago, Otonoki was and still is a prestigious school for boys which means not just everyone can enroll there easily. Haruki might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he has his moments of cleverness.

There were some mismanagement issues that happened during the three years he spent studying there and they joined a band contest in order to "save" their school. Elliot thought it was ridiculous but here they are now and modesty aside, their previous high school gets hundreds of application each year thanks to them. Haruki showcased his boyish charms throughout the whole campaign, a side of him even his friends weren't aware of.

"It's not implausible," Takumi pulled on his sleeve to reveal a silver band wrist watch. I'm gonna be late for my appointment.

"I'll see what I can do with Haru, maybe ask Nozomi-neesan later if he's going through with his schedule." He didn't noticed the way Elliot's eyes narrowed at the mention of her name.

"Don't get too close, you know what happened to Haruki. Women like Toujou are nothing but trouble." Elliot turned to leave and started to walk towards the elevator. His mind's filled with thoughts about the recent events.

Takumi stared at the blonde's fleeting back. He knows about Elliot's circumstance and stayed quiet about his opinion on a certain purplette.

"She's not like that," he said as the blond disappeared into the building. The night is still young, Takumi got inside his blue Lexus RX and drove off.

Amethyst orbs stared blankly at a score. It was past 9 o'clock in the evening and Takumi dared to cancel on him, but he was nice enough to extend their arrangement. Surely, Toujou is involved. Takumi asked him earlier to meet up at the music room saying he had an epiphany for their next song. They haven't had a song in months yet their last single was still number one on every music charts.

At the height of the scandal, he was impressed Takumi managed to pull out a song out of nowhere. It took the heat away from Haruki but he didn't get involved in 'Soldier Game' for he was still shaken up. It was the three of them: Elliot, Takumi and Makoto himself who averted the public's prying eyes away from their leader. Fantastic damage control.

But since then, production was reduced to TV and radio guestings and side projects. Not that he minded. Makoto loved the attention given to them. The reason he joined the band was because he planned to use it as a stepping stone to become an actor. Elliot have beaten him to it but he isn't too worried. Elliot could probably blind people with his golden locks and pearly whites. Takumi was far too busy with his family affairs to get involved in anything while Haruki just wants to have fun with his friends without being in the middle of the spotlight. He'll get his chance. All he has to do now is play his cards right and everything will fall into place.

To be honest, Makoto didn't know they could make it this far and now he was closer to his dream more than ever before. However, he's impulsive and would take out his anger on the production staff. He was deemed as a diva because of it but he couldn't care less. Bad publicity is still publicity.

He could fire everyone in production for all they know, except one.

"Nozomi... Toujou," He won't lie, she's beautiful, gorgeous even. There was something exotic about her that he couldn't point out.

Ever since she came around, two of his friends and band members lost their marbles. Elliot won't stop glaring daggers at her, and Takumi would follow her around like a lost puppy. Their leader is quite fond of her but not as attached or repulsed like the other two and has remained surprisingly oblivious to it.

He thought it was amusing at first but now it became such a drag.

His fingers began to dance at the black and white keys, almost by instinct. Makoto's thoughts were occupied with the young woman in question.

She could definitely pull off the naughty librarian, he flushed at the sudden thought. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, his fingers continued playing.

He was both intrigued and frustrated. Toujou directly works for the chairman so, she was off limits. Like a fragile flower you can only have a glimpse off at the edge of a mountain cliff.

It doesn't really bother him. She wasn't bad to look at either. Makoto tried to be indifferent about the whole Toujou happening but the more she's around the more he gets interested.

His phone chimed. A text. Sorry, I can't make it after all. Raincheck?

Makoto just stared at the message but an idea sparked in his mind. A smirk graced his face. There wasn't a rule about fraternization anyway.

The office was in a state of panic the morning after. Nozomi stared as people around her walk on eggshells. As they spotted her, she was told to get her ass in the chairman's office. Wow, rude.

She dropped off her stuff in her office and proceeded to enter the lion's den. She knew all this is her fault, what with all the happenstance last night. She knocked twice before coming in.

Her boss looks the same with his clear, pristine appearance and faint smell of aftershave. His sunglasses were always present. Many conspiracies arose about his eyewear; he has a scar, he's visually impaired, he's secretly guising as a normal human being but is actually a cyborg.

To the general populace, he's a man well-respected even by the higher ups. Her boss, simply known for his pseudonym 'Takajou' (his real name is unknown), is a cinematic genius and world renounced director.

Despite the thick darkness of his sunglasses, Nozomi could feel his intense gaze.

"Where were you last night?" His voice calm, yet he has an air of authority. As if he caught her stealing cookies from the cookie jar. She briefly wondered if Elliot talked to him about what happened last night but despite his immense hatred for her, he doesn't seem the type to telltale. Not like it matters, she did have a valid excuse.

"Family emergency."

"... Family?" His brow arching, doubt clouding his mind.

"Yes, family." She repeated as warmth spread from her chest. She remembered Naoki's words and how he said it. She knows she's blushing and can't help smiling but she didn't care. It felt good saying that to her boss' face.

Neither of them spoke for a while. The silence was disconcerting but she welcomed it. She could practically see the gears of his brain shifting, it was hard to process. After all, I—

"Very well," He finally spoke, "I expect for this not to happen again. Stand on your ground, if it couldn't be helped then call me."

She blinked, confused at his words. "You're not punishing me?"

"What for?" His attention was already on the documents neatly stacked on his table. "It was an emergency, was it not?"

Skeptic but she didn't question his orders, Nozomi nodded. She can't get fired now.

She turned to leave but heard his voice again. "By the way, Makoto found out about your new assignment and demanded to have an assistant himself. You know how hardy that boy can be, I'll send someone for you to 'train' later on."

Naoki yawned as he read through the contents of the newspaper ads. The cafe was only open on weekdays from 12:00PM - 5:00PM, and 9:00PM - 5:00PM on Saturdays. He could squeeze another job or two on weekdays, maybe newspaper delivery or construction work but those doesn't pay enough.

Cotarou has to stay for about a week at the hospital. Thankfully, Nozomi's savings got that covered. But the medicine and maintenance added to their daily expenses will be devastating.

"Good morning, sempai!" Kotori chirped behind him, looking at his profile curiously.

Naoki was perched on a stool while his legs were up on the counter. Buchou, who walked out of the kitchen, patted at his leg and instructed him to clean the tables.

He was grateful for having such a lenient manager. "Buchou, please never change."

"As long as you work flawlessly," The old man guffawed as he started wiping the counter. "By the way, how's Nontan?"

"Who's that?" Kotori said from the entrance effectively sweeping the floor. Naoki almost forgot she was there. Whenever they work, Kotori has this overwhelming presence that turns heads wherever she walks but normally she's just... there. It's like this girl's charisma has an on/off switch.

"Naoki's... I'm not really sure of the nature of their relationship. Both of them used to work here a couple of years back when this was still a bar."

"This cafe used to be a bar?" A pause. "With liquor?"

"Of course, have you not been inside a bar before, Kotori-chan?"

She did back in the States but not for the partying kind, sometimes the photoshoots are inside bars and hotels. She was far too busy running errands to pay any attention to her surroundings.

"It was strictly business." She beamed.

"Business, huh? Sure," Naoki grinned but somehow had trouble imagining the taupe haired girl inside a bar. Too pure.

"So, who is this Nontan, Naoki-sempai?" She sent him a grin herself and Naoki felt a chill down his spine.

I stand corrected.

Work was slow today. Most of their customers were female but there were a few male customers as well, two of them pestered her for her number and luckily, Naoki was always there to shoo them off and threatened to ban them from the cafe if they ever bothered her again.

After getting dressed in her casual wear, Kotori said goodbye to their manager who told them to have a nice day. Naoki was lagging behind her as they walked down the alleyway shortcut leading to the artisan's market.

"Are you okay, sempai?" She tilted her head trying to peak at his fringe covered eyes.

"Yeah, just tired," He sighed heavily, putting his hands into the pockets of his oversized pink hoodie.

"Are you sure?" She asked again as Naoki walked past her. His movements were sluggish and it looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep last night.

Kotori heard him hum and stopped prying. She's very curious and ready to help but they only met yesterday, some boundaries shouldn't be crossed. She respected his privacy and told herself that if he needs her help he'll ask for it.

Some of the shop owners tried to give her stuff but she politely refused. Kotori felt bad, they were running a business and it would be wrong to take advantage of their generosity. Naoki, on the other hand, took whatever was offered to him.

"I never say no to free stuff." He simply shrugged.

They walked back to the cafe. She has significantly less grocery bags than Naoki. He told her that if she waited for a while his friend will arrive and give her a ride but she declined and stated she doesn't mind walking home.

She didn't have her hands full of grocery bags this time and decided to stop by the park near the hill and sat on the bench where she and Haruki stayed yesterday. Kotori was very surprised to see Haruki in her neighborhood, she briefly wondered if he lives nearby.

The sunset was beautiful with it's bright orange glow. It reminded her of Haruki who was always shining brightly. He was acting a bit strange yesterday. Even Haruki-kun have one of those days, I guess...

He did bounce back to his goofy self as soon as he saw her. Her phone suddenly rang a familiar ringtone, the smooth baritone was soothing as a fresh nightly breeze.

"Hello," there was a long pause before she could hear anything from the other line.

"Sorry," It was Takkun, "I forgot you now have Haru's phone."

She smiled. They only talked once before and she could tell that he's very polite and formal. She still couldn't shake the feeling that he heard his voice before.

"There's no need to be formal. Any friend of Haruki-kun is my friend as well!"

"...friend," the line went silent again. Kotori thought she crossed the line but sighed in relief when he said "Yes, I'd like that."

"Do you perhaps know Haru's whereabouts?"

"No, I'm sorry," Now that she thought about it, she hadn't received a 'good morning' text from him earlier. He never missed one until today. "Maybe he slept in?"

"At this time? It's almost evening."

"He's busy?"

"I doubt that."

"Or he went out with his friends?"

"Negative."

"You're very hard to please," She huffed. She couldn't think of anymore excuses to make. Now that she thinks about it, she doesn't really know any personal information about Haruki except that his family owns a bakery, and that it was popular enough among teenagers to hunt him down Akihabara like bloodhounds for discount coupons.

"I aim for perfection." He said, though she sensed a hint of amusement in his voice.

"What did you mean when you said "negative" on Haruki going out with his friends?"

"Haru has a very small circle of friends and I know all their current whereabouts," Haruki having only a few friends seem implausible, he's a very likeable and cheery guy. But that last bit was what caught her attention.

"Does that mean you know where I am right now?" She laughed awkwardly.

"Hmm," the line went dead for a while, Kotori could hear static noises. She thought Takkun hung up on her but what he said afterwards sent chills down her spine "I do now."

"Should I be worried?" Kotori looked around the park, she watched too much crime dramas and it's making her paranoid. She had her fair share of encounters with stalkers. Paparazzi and stalkers tend to follow people working in the fashion industry to get the latest scoop or just being plain creepy.

"Not at all." Takkun's calm voice didn't help at all. "You're... safe."

"Takkun!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he chuckled. "It's just—it felt good not being the receiving end of teasing."

"Mou..." she pouted, scolding herself how a simple trick made her heart race in fear.

"I'll make it up to you, somehow." He said in compromise. "I'm sorry I have to cut short with our conversation."

"Fine... I'll get you next time, Takkun!"

"I look forward to it."

The indicator on the screen stopped moving. It's late, she's probably asleep by now.

Haruki walked begrudgingly along a familiar path nearby a small hill. Seeking solace, he wandered around aimlessly at night finding comfort on the park bench they sat on before. He wondered if she'll be surprised if he showed up at her doorstep late at night. He's been doing that a lot lately, thinking, and it wasn't for the right reasons.

He knows he's being selfish, not giving a proper answer as to what happened three months ago; not even to his best friends. But he thinks some things should be left unsaid. Sometimes he just wants to shout, angry as to why everyone jumped to conclusions and ridiculed him. Other times he just wanted to cry. It wasn't fair for him that the media goes on and on about his alleged affairs with a certain leader of a popular idol group. But in reality the connection was far deeper. Intangible.

His only regret was his approach was blunt and headstrong. He handled the situation poorly until it escalated and ultimately blow up on his face. His picture was on the front page of countless magazine as 'journalists' relayed their theories page per page. Fans were split in half, with the ones trying to protect the band from bashers.

He was told to deactivate his social media accounts but he didn't because Haruki strongly believes he didn't do anything wrong. He wanted to reply to every hateful comment he came across but that'll only make it worse, so he stopped updating until he just completely shutdown. By some miracle, his friends managed to produce a single album and everyone loves them again in a snap.

But that was it, he was excluded. Elliot became increasingly busy with side projects. Makoto was involved in some piano recitals and contests. And Takumi was juggling his time with his online classes, writing new songs, archery and band practice yet he still has time to check on Haruki.

Haruki felt very happy for them but loathed himself. He was their leader but he was the one letting everyone down and dragging their reputation down the drain with him. Leaning back for a while, he sighed heavily. Everyone is just so amazing and here I am—

"That's quite a sigh."

"I learned from the best." Takumi didn't expect him to be so calm. They haven't seen each other for weeks, and Haruki looks worse for wear. He's been waiting nearby hoping his best friend would come to this place. Takumi's instincts kicked in when he talked to Kotori earlier. He checked her location on a whim, as a joke. But something draws him to her and it immediately crossed his mind he might get a chance to see Haruki tonight if he went to this location. And he's right.

"How did you find me?" If he was hiding his surprise, Haruki was good at masking it. He looked relaxed, his body language shows no tenseness.

"I tracked your phone."

"I don't have my phone."

"Exactly," Takumi needs to thread his words carefully, if he wants to confront his friend's actions. "I talked to Elliot last night, he was there the day you brought that girl—"

"Kotori-chan."

"...Kotori-san. Elliot was there when you brought her to the studio." Kotori already filled him in as to how she met Haruki and why he gave her his phone. But something Elliot said made him curious, if Haruki deliberately gave his phone away to a stranger.

Haruki has two phones, one for personal use and the other for band related issues. Now in his personal phone, a tracking app was installed without Haruki's knowledge. He likes to roam around to mingle with his fans and he was very outspoken about it and they love him for being so down to earth unlike other celebrities. The tracker is there in case of something serious might happen to him in his walks around Akihabara.

But since the rumors and pictures of him spotted outside Tsubasa Kira's apartment, Haruki seems adamant to take any electronic device with him. It was clear that Haruki knew about it all along since he didn't react the way Takumi expected him to react. But Takumi was constantly trying to get a hold of him that he resorted to checking Haruki's bank account.

Back when they were auditioning, Takumi was the treasurer. He ensures that everyone contributes and gains the equal amount and now that they're part of a big agency with hundreds of talents ranging from band members to idol to seiyuus, his friends still trust him enough access their bank accounts.

He checked earlier and discovered a huge red flag. Despite giving his phone away before the subscription ended, Haruki renewed the subscription and was making several calls and text messages to the device a stranger now possesses. He was calling and texting this girl on a daily basis using his work phone which was supposed to be strictly used for band related subjects only.

"Look, Haru," He said slowly. "This, whatever it is. It needs to stop."

"What are you talking about?"

"This thing you have with this woman—"

"Kotori-chan."

"You have to cut ties with her. She might be using you—" he began to argue but his friend vigorously shook his head in denial.

"No, I won't. She's not like that..." Haruki said stubbornly. "Kotori-chan is different."

"You don't know that!" Takumi lashed out, finally losing patience with him. "It might be all just an act. If you just listen-!"

"But I do know!" he replied back with so much passion it took Takumi by surprise. "You don't know her like I do! Kotori-chan is the sweetest girl I know..." he smiled reminiscently as he stared into the distance.

"She doesn't even know about our band. Kotori-chan studied abroad most of her life, she flew in a few weeks ago when I found her." He goes on and on with her life story trying to make Takumi realize she wasn't like them.

His face shone brightly as he talked about her and Takumi was stunned. It has been a long time since he saw that kind of smile on his best friend's face since the scandal broke out.

Just then, he had a flashback of his conversation with Elliot about a certain purplette. Elliot was quick to judge her but Takumi knew her better, and now, he's in the similar situation but in the other perspective. He was so blinded with his concern for his best friend that he regarded Kotori as a bad influence or somehow manipulating Haruki. It was exactly what Elliot was doing with Nozomi.

"I really like this girl, Takkun." Haruki looked him in the eye, his blue shinning brightly with the same drive that lead them all to victory. "I don't want to mess up."

"Alright," Takumi felt disgusted with his self. He was worried for his friend but he had no right to judge someone. "If what you said is true, that she really doesn't know about the band. I think it's better to tell her about it."

It's amazing she haven't found out yet, in this age with abundance of informations and technology. Haruki could only sigh and look at the starless night sky.

"I'll figure something out."

BETA & Co-writer: Keirajoy